The State of Things
Influential Canon Characters 'King Alistair Theirin' Alistair, now King of Ferelden, has taken up the throne at the behest of his peers, though apprehensively. Though the King rules alone, he has many reliable advisors and friends in high places, and the love he truly has for his people gives him the confidence in the fact that he can support his Kingdom and rule it well. Since the Blight and the darkspawn rising in the north, the King has taken mostly to political study and overseeing the reconstruction both of the Grey Warden order and the regions of Ferelden that were damaged during the Blight. He travels relatively frequently, ruling close with his people. This is not to say that Alistair rules completely unopposed. Political machinations from all fronts have surfaced and now Alistair faces the task of figuring friend from foe. In Cloudreach of 9:34, Alistair announced his engagement to the Teyrna of Gwaren, Constance Yorath. 'Aedan Cousland, The Warden' Aedan, the Warden who dealt the final blow to the Archdemon at the Battle of Denerim, managed to survive the Blight. Suspicious to senior Wardens from other nations, Aedan's survival was ensured by a secret he had kept between himself and a handful of others. Six months after the Blight a new threat of darkspawn became apparent in his gifted Arling of Amaranthine. Sent to preside over and train more Wardens but ultimately faced with devastation and another darkspawn crisis, the Warden tended to his people and ultimately overcame the Mother and the threat, recruiting a rag-tag band of Wardens into the order in the process. The Warden is still regarded by most as a hero of the highest degree, and most people of Ferelden know his face or at least his story. In 9:32 Aedan Cousland stepped down from his position as both Warden-Commander and as Arl of Amaranthine, handing both positions to Warden Nathaniel Howe. Aedan has disappeared, only leaving his whereabouts known to one person. Not even his brother, Fergus, knows his whereabouts. 'Anora and Loghain Mac Tir' After Loghain was silenced by the Landsmeet, he lost a duel to Alistair. For Alistair's vengeance, he executed Loghain for his treachery before the entire Landsmeet for all of the crimes he had committed; allowing slavery in the alienage, allowing torture of nobles and templars alike, the death of the King, incriminating the Grey Wardens, and instigating civil war amongst the people of Ferelden. While his crimes were dire, many believed that the majority of them were orchestrated by his ally, Rendon Howe. Though none could argue it was Loghain's order that left the King to die on the battlefield in Ostagar, there are still quite a few people in Ferelden who believe this order was necessary for the greater good. The split opinion of the former revered hero made for a tumultuous period after his defeat in the Landsmeet. After her father was executed, Anora gave up her throne to Alistair, though not willingly. The Warden who had promised to support Anora for the throne gave it to Alistair, seeming to only want her support in the Landsmeet to further their cause. To avoid a civil war in the future, Anora was exiled and escorted out of Ferelden to an undisclosed location. There have been rumors of communication between the former queen and current king. While bitter feelings may still exist, there is word that Anora may be returning to Ferelden in the near future. 'Teyrn Fergus Cousland of Highever' Since the ending of the Blight and Fergus' return from Ostagar, he has been assigned his rightful Teyrnir and is now the Teyrn of Highever. Returning to his homeland shortly after the coronation and celebrations for his brother, the Warden, Fergus made his way to Highever to start anew with the few people that had survived Arl Howe's attack on the castle. He held a proper memorial for his parents and the many men who died defending the castle, as well as a much more private ceremony for his deceased wife and son. Through emotional turmoil and losses, he worked to restore Highever to what it once was in the midst of a war-torn land. His efforts have brought some restoration and forward-thinking changes, but Highever continues to struggle through a multitude of problems. An assassination attempt, elven riots, and a plague in the past few years. At the Landsmeet of 9:32, Fergus was granted permission to marry the elven woman he’d fallen in love with, Raelene Caoileann. Though Rae would not have the title of Teyrna, by allowing the marriage the Landsmeet has declared that any offspring will be considered legitimate heirs to the Cousland name. Less than a year later, Rae gave birth to Riane Eleanor Cousland, their first and only child. The union was a happy one, but not all of Ferelden was delighted with the match. In Guardian of 9:34, Raelene was poisoned and did not recover. Widowed again, Fergus now raises his daughter on his own and works to find out who killed his wife. Through a combination of personal motivations and to keep others at bay, he has come to an agreement with Bann Breanna Guerrin with a formal courtship, one that will likely be quite lengthy as they get to know one another. Initial interactions are promising, however. 'Arl Teagan Guerrin, Eamon Guerrin, Lady Isolde' After Alistair was crowned, Arl Eamon stayed on as an advisor to the young King. Because his son was revealed to be a mage during the Blight and "cured" of being an abomination, young Connor was sent to the Circle Tower to learn to control and improve his abilities, leaving the Arl's wife Isolde alone. Recently, the Arl was felled by a stroke and remained bedridden at the Palace in Denerim for a long time before passing away in 33 Dragon. His brother, Teagan, was elevated to Arl of Redcliffe, while his widow, Isolde, has remained at the Guerrin estate in Denerim, no longer the Arlessa of Redcliffe. With Teagan's rise to Arl, he named his bastard daughter, Breanna Guerrin, as Bann of Rainesfere. The beginning of his rein started roughly, for Darkspawn sightings marred the celebrations for both their change in positions, and caused a delay in the Redcliffe Ball while the Wardens took care of the problem. With the Ball over, Teagan looks to the future of Redcliffe, allowing the Grey Wardens to set up a base there in case of further threats. 'Arl Nathaniel Howe, Warden-Commander of Ferelden' One of the "rag-tag" members that Aedan Cousland managed to recruit into the Grey Wardens was none other than Nathaniel Howe, eldest son of Rendon Howe. Originally arriving in Amaranthine bent on revenge, he was captured and conscripted into the Grey Wardens. Over time, trials, and tribulations, Nathaniel earned both trust and friendship with Aedan and became his second-in-command. Much to the surprise of many, Aedan stepped down from his position of Arl of Amaranthine and Warden-Commander and handed both titles to Nathaniel. Now Nathaniel faces the oddity of being Arl of the lands his family was stripped of for Rendon's betrayal and the task of keeping the Grey Wardens a viable part of Amaranthine and Ferelden. Recently, Nathaniel suffered a new tragedy. His wife, Fiona, was murdered in a mugging gone wrong, robbing the Commander of the Grey of one of the lights in his life. While the individual responsible was put to justice, it has not done much to assuage the Commander's grief. Nobles and People of Influence (Original Characters) 'Teyrna Constance Yorath' Loghain's death left a major hole in the power structure of Gwaren. In the year after the Archdemon's death there was a good deal of political infighting among the Gwaren nobility. With no one named Teyrn they jockeyed for position all while pointing accusingly to the new King for their plights. Through it all only a handful became contenders and in the end two stepped into the spotlight. Roderick Yorath, Bann of Stonewar, and Constance Carringstone, Bann of the Frozen Sea, had been competing for favor in being named the new Teyrn of Gwaren. In a somewhat unexpected twist the Seneschal of Gwaren suggested to King Alistair that Yorath be named Teyrn in the interim and based on that advice, Alistair made it official. It was not long after that Constance wed Roderick, securing her own title of Teyrna by the time of the Landsmeet. Roderick was killed by raiders at sea in 9:32, leaving Constance the Teyrna and sole ruler of Gwaren. After being widowed, Constance began to spend quite a bit of time in Denerim, advising Alistair on political matters and the two become friends and allies. While their relationship has not blossomed into love, Alistair knew he needed to secure his position with a wife that he trusted and respected, and asked Constance for her hand in marriage in Cloudreach of 9:34. 'Arl of Dragonreach and Teryn-Regent of Gwaren Connor Ainsley' The former Bann of Blackwood, Connor Ainsley took his first title at a young age. He has the admiration of the people of Blackwood, and ambition to see it and the area of Gwaren prosper. This ambition has catapulted him into new positions recently, as Teyrna Constance named him the new Arl of Dragonreach. Soon after the Teyrna's engagement, she asked Connor to be Teyrn-Regent in Gwaren until her son, Peter, reached the age of majority. While he is popular among the people, and many nobles, his recent decision to openly flaunt his commoner mistress has some nobles worried about what he intends to do when he takes his position as Teyrn-Regent. 'Bann Ciaran Ainsley' Ciaran was raised to his current position when his twin brother, Connor, was made Arl of Dragonreach. While this was much to the displeasure of Ciaran, he has taken to the position as best he can. He sees himself as a soldier more than a politician. During the Blight, it was by luck that Ciaran ran across a gravely injured Fergus Cousland, and got him to the Chasind tribe that helped him recover from his injuries. While Fergus feels that he owes Ciaran a debt, Ciaran only saw his deeds as doing his duty. 'Bann Breanna Guerrin' Breanna Guerrin is the bastard daughter of Arl Teagan Guerrin and Lady Catriona Tierney. Her mother kept her parentage secret for most of her life, not wanting to cause problems for Teagan and his upward mobility in the peerage. In 9:32, after the disappearance of her mother, Breanna and Teagan met. Not long after the truth of his bloodline came out, and Teagan officially recognized her as his daughter, with Breanna taking the Guerrin last name. The adjustment from commoner to noble has been a difficult journey for Breanna, but she has taken it in stride. Being appointed seneschal of Rainesfere while Teagan handled the affairs of Redcliffe in his ill brother's stead, gave her a crash course in what to expect. After Eamon's death, she was elevated to the Bann of Rainesfere while her father was made Arl of Redcliffe. Recently, she agreed to an official courtship with the widower Fergus Cousland. 'Bann Eideard Clacher' Eideard is new to his position as Bann of Stormgard, but has the great love of his people. His father passed of an illness, and his mother decided to allow her son to step up to the responsibility that is his birthright. A soldier, stonemason, and quarryman by trade, Eideard may have been of noble birth, but he never shirked getting his hands dirty along with his people. Fiercely loyal to his people, Eideard also casts his allegiance to the Teyrn of Highever. At the beginning of the Blight, he lead troops from Stormgard to Ostagar under Highever's banner. When Fergus' scouting party was lost at Ostagar, Eideard took command of the remaining Highever troops. The burden of this command weighs on Eideard, having lost many soldiers in the fight. Despite this, he is a bright and charismatic noble, whose career is just beginning. 'Bann Jacquelyn Montgomery' Jacq became Bann of Holstrom, when her father was murdered at the massacre in Highever at the beginning of the Blight. A skilled archer, Jacq led what troops Holstrom had to assist in the defense of Denerim when the Darkspawn attacked. Injured, but not broken, Jacq has done her best to rebuild her part of the Bannorn, though much of the surrounding farmland still remains blighted. 'Lady Anais Eitran' Eldest daughter of Almaric Eitran, the seneschal of Highever, and Lady Julianna Bryland, Anais is currently in training to take his place when he retires. She spent many years in Orlais, studying the bardic arts at the behest of her father who also had went through the same education. He believed these skills would assist her in serving the Teyrn, and even limited her return to Ferelden when he mother was killed in the massacre at Highever. She serves Highever with the same unfailing loyalty as her father and is currently involved in the investigation into Raelene's death. 'Lady Catriona Tierney' From a minor noble house, Catriona's father pushed her at a young age to find a good match to elevate the family's status. Rebelling against her father's wishes, and dreaming of something more, Catriona met a young man whom she had a whirlwind romance with. This young man was Teagan Guerrin. Their time together proved doomed, as Catriona became pregnant with Teagan's child. Not wanting to ruin Teagan's prospects, she denied it was his, which effectively ended their relationship. When her father found out she was pregnant, and would not offer up the name of her child's father, he cast her out in the streets, disowning her. Catriona moved to Lothering, and worked as a seamstress for many years, raising Breanna in the same trade. Once Breanna was grown, Catriona went on a trip to Orlais to visit a friend and study the current fashions. During this trip she was captured and accused of being a Ferelden spy. Her time imprisoned was a harsh ordeal and she eventually escaped and made her way back to Ferelden. There she discovered her daughter had been elevated to bann and officially recognized as Teagan's daughter. This distressed her, but her daughter was happy with the state of things. Other news awaited her on her return. She was the only surviving member of the Tierney family, save for Breanna, who had inherited the estate. Now that Catriona had returned, Breanna gave her mother her family's home, and she has been reinstated as a Lady of Ferelden. 'Lady Kiley Daire' Born to a minor noble house, Kiley and her twin sister Kiora were spoiled by their father when they were young. This resulted in both of them becoming rebellious and disagreeable in their teenage years, when he wanted to see them find good matches among the nobility. After one prank on the guards of Amaranthine too many, their father took them to Denerim in hopes of marrying them off. The twins displeasure was obvious, but during this time they made a few friends. In an attempt to put her in King Alistair's radar for a potential bride, Kiley took on a temporary position as an Orlesian tutor and translator for him. They had no interest in each other beyond the friendship that formed. Relatively soon after, Kiley and Kiora ran off to the Free Marches where they joined a mercenary band. The twins became collectively known as the Sparrow, performing feats of espionage and the occasional murder when necessary. It was years later, when their father passed, that they finally returned to Ferelden. Kiora took up the title of Bann in their father's place, and Kiley now floats through the noble circles to assist her sibling in solidifying her position and alliances. She finds it tedious, and has considered bringing the Sparrow to Ferelden as something to spice up her life. The Companions 'The Grey Warden Companions' Most of Alistair and Aedan's traveling companions during the time of the fifth Blight went their own separate ways after Alistair's coronation and the Warden's celebrations. A diverse group of people, they all had many different goals and personalities that took them in many different directions. One constant, though, is that their bond built through the time they spent together will never be truly broken, and they are all welcome throughout Ferelden and in Denerim any time. 'Morrigan' Morrigan vanished right after the battle with the archdemon, and only vague, suspected sightings have given any clues as to where she might have gone. Rumors grew in the months following the Blight that the woman Morrigan had once been the lover of the Warden himself. She was more recently seen traveling alone, heavy with child. Currently, her whereabouts are unknown. 'Sten of the Beresaad' Once Sten helped Aedan Cousland defeat the Archdemon, he had his full answer for the Arishok. After Alistair's coronation he left for Par Vollen, sword in hand, to take his place among the Qunari again. 'The New Recruits' Six months after the defeat of the archdemon, a new darkspawn threat arose in the Arling of Amaranthine. In order to combat this danger, then Warden-Commander Aedan Cousland recruited new blood into the Grey Wardens. Each recruit joined with their own motivations and reasons, but now all reside at Vigil's Keep as full fledged Wardens. They currently continue their respective duties as both Grey Wardens and guardians of Amaranthine. 'Justice' After the defeat of The Mother, Justice remained for a short time. Then one day with little word to anyone, he gazed up at the sun, seeming content, and disappeared from the physical realm. Kristoff's body was now an empty shell and no one has heard or seen Justice on either side of the Veil. 'Velanna' Angered by the decisions made by the Warden-Commander, Velanna left Amaranthine and the Grey Wardens. Intent on finding her sister again, she travels to parts and dangers unknown. Important Locations in Ferelden 'Denerim' While Denerim remains the capital city of Ferelden, it is not the same city it once was. After the final battle of the Blight—known as the Siege to the city's residents— much of Denerim lay in ruin, and many of her people lay dead in the streets. A year and a half since the Blight has brought Denerim a long ways in terms of renovations, most of the projects nearly complete. Though the residents of the city remain hopeful for change and rebirth under the rule of their new King, crime is more rampant now than ever, and civil unrest is apparent. After Loghain's death, the Arling of Denerim was passed down to Bann Vaughan Kendall, son of the late Arl of Denerim who died at Ostagar. This was most displeasing to many nobles, knowing of Vaughan's personal nature, and especially garnered the ire of the elves, whom had suffered under him firsthand. Alistair could not argue his birthright, however, and under pressure from the courts appointed him rather than leave the position unfilled. However, Vaughan did not remain Arl for long. At the first official Landsmeet since the Blight, he was accused and found guilty of conspiring to murder Teyrn Fergus Cousland, instigating riots among elves and humans in Highever, and other numerous charges. He was hanged—much to the relief of many in the Alienage and the more righteous of the nobility—leaving the title of Arl of Denerim open. It wasn't long before Bann Malone Kincade of Edgewater, who was instrumental in gathering the evidence against Vaughan Kendall, was appointed by King Alistair as the new Arl. Malone worked diligently in his new position until his health failed, and Bann Ariadne Harding was appointed Arlessa in his place. 'Denerim Alienage' Despite the losses and destruction that occurred in the Alienage during the battle against the archdemon, it is still home to the majority of Denerim's elven population. However, it remains a place of crime and poverty, though progress is being made to find equality for the elves, much to the dismay of many of the more bigoted citizens and members of the nobility. To help raise the station of elves and improve their future, Alistair appointed Shianni as the elven representative on his Denerim Council. This attempt at racial equality has backfired somewhat, causing some of the discriminatory people to act out even more strongly against the elves. Still, the new movement presses forward, as Shianni, and other outspoken members of the elven population, encourage their people to stand up for their rights. There is hope someday that there can be equality for all, but it will take a great deal of time and effort. With the death of Vaughan Kendall a certain amount of peace has been found in the Alienage, but no one knows for just how long this will last. 'Amaranthine' The beleaguered port city of Amaranthine has seen much in the past three years. Rendon Howe proved to be the Arling's greatest downfall and even after the Blight was over, Amaranthine still saw a darkspawn uprising due to a creature called The Mother. However, their new Arl, Aedan Cousland, saw to the upkeep of the Arling and fought back the new darkspawn incursion. With new Grey Wardens in the ranks -- and more joining as time goes on -- Amaranthine is set to recover and grow as it had before. Now, a new Arl has taken over. With Aedan Cousland stepping down, Rendon's eldest son Nathaniel Howe is given the position. But while the changing of power goes smoothly, an undercurrent of political turmoil swirls underneath. 'Highever' After Rendon Howe's betrayal at Cousland Castle, times could not have been bleaker. Not only was their beloved Teyrn and the Cousland family dead, King Cailan had died at Ostagar and the darkspawn ran rampant across the land. Though the Blight hardly touched the northland port city of Highever, they had Arl Rendon Howe's men to contend with. When Rendon gave himself the title of Teyrn of Highever and 'Regent' Loghain did nothing, some stalwart souls decided to act. In defiance of their new 'lord', a rebellion was formed in order to kick out Rendon's followers and eventually kill Rendon himself. Though somewhat successful in Highever, the rebellion never made it outside of the town's confines. A year after Teyrn Cousland's death, the Blight was ended and Rendon Howe slain. The Hero of Ferelden was none other then their own Lord Aedan, youngest son of Bryce Cousland. What's more, Bryce's eldest son Fergus, thought to be dead at the battle of Ostagar, was still alive. With both of the Cousland brothers living, Highever felt hope again. With the elder Cousland brother in control, rebuilding the town and Teyrnir began in ernest. Though many lives were gone, homes were reclaimed and over the next year some form of normal life began to return. A general melancholy remained until Teyrn Fergus visited Denerim and returned with several people to help in the rebuild, one of them being an elven woman by the name of Rae Caoileann. It quickly became apparent that Teyrn Fergus was quite fond of Rae and determined to make her his wife and Teyrna. Just as Highever was calming down from the scandal and rumor, there was an assassination attempt made on Fergus Cousland. It was thwarted by Rae, nearly at the cost of her life. That same day a riot broke out in the Highever Alienage, the dead body of an elven child being found as the cause. The chaos and confusion lasted for days and by the end two things were known: Rae would live and an unknown enemy was behind both the riot and the assassination attempt. The peace that came after lasted only a few short months. A ship flying a plague banner arrived in Highever with very ill men aboard. Despite a quarantine placed on the ship, citizens of the town began to also fall ill. A plague had spread and again things looked dire. Had it not been for the efforts of Evelyn Kincade, sister of Malone Kincade, far more would have died. At great risk to herself, she managed to find a cure. Seeming to have no rest, the people of Highever set about to burn the bodies of the dead and mourn the losses. Now, with their lord returned from the latest Landsmeet they may have something to celebrate. Teyrn Fergus is being allowed to marry Rae Caoileann, though she will not be allowed the title of Teyrna. The wedding underway, it's difficult to say what it will all mean for Highever's future and the elves that reside there. Or elves, Ferelden-wide. 'Gwaren' Though Gwaren didn't suffer much damage from the darkspawn during the Blight, they did earn scars from a different sort of calamity. Their Teyrn, Loghain Mac Tir, was slain at the Landsmeet by Ferelden's current king, Alistair Theirin. With Loghain now seen as a traitor to King and Country for the Civil War he caused, the nobility of Gwaren are eyed with the same sort of scrutiny for siding with their Teyrn. For nearly a year and a half Gwaren remained without a new leader and quiet grumblings arose that this was a form of punishment by the newly crowned King. Seneschal Muirch managed to keep most of the peace, but even he started to become stretched thin. Several banns began to step in to assist, Dieter Aneirin of the Green Span, Constance Carringstone of the Frozen Sea, and Roderick Yorath of Stonewar being chief of these. Unfortunately, Bann Dieter Aneirin and his whole family were slain by a cutthroat group of mercenaries known as the Red Dog Legion. For reasons unknown they tried to peg the massacre on the Dalish from the nearby Brecillian Forest. The ruse did not last long and once the truth was uncovered the members of the Red Dog Legion were found guilty and executed for their crime. With the contact the Legion was using dead there was no way to find out who ordered Bann Aneirin's death. As time drags on, more and more believe that it may never be discovered. Just as tensions were rising again over the fact that a new Teyrn still had yet to be chosen, King Alistair sent a letter to the Gwaren nobility asking for suggestions on who they believed the new Teyrn should be. The game fully afoot, the nobility jockeyed for position. At the Landsmeet, it was Roderick Yorath who was confirmed as Teyrn and his new wife Constance Carringstone as Teyrna. With Roderick gone, Constance now holds all the power in Gwaren. What this fully means for the port town of fishermen and loggers and for the Teyrnir of Gwaren as a whole is left to be seen. 'Lothering' After being decimated by the darkspawn, Lothering was left largely unoccupied for a long stretch of time. After the Blight ended, people began to filter back in to the area and start to try and rebuild. Still being a crossroads town it didn't take long for traffic to start flowing through again and the tent pole businesses are now being able to build more permanent structures. The Chantry has also moved back in, trying to re-establish their templar presence and bring some order to an area that's become slightly lawless. 'Redcliffe' After the archdemon's defeat, Redcliffe was able to finally fully recover from the damages it suffered during the Blight. With Arl Eamon mostly staying at Denerim to provide council for the new King, Redcliffe was left in the hands of his brother, Teagan. When Eamon was laid bedridden due to a stroke, the title of Arl of Redcliffe was fully given to Teagan. His bannorn of Rainesfere currently remains without a bann. 'Orzammar' The Blight being over did not mean rest for those in the dwarven city. The darkspawn are an ever present threat and journeys into the Deep Roads are just as treacherous as before the Blight. Orzammar itself is a hotbed of political strife. With King Bhelen trying to break his people of centuries old traditions, and the various castes trying to fight for or against those changes, there's no end to the scheming, political backstabbing, and literal backstabbing between the numerous houses. Recently, King Bhelen had a third assassination attempt made against him. Becoming firmer in his stance -- and tighter on his security -- he continues to try to make changes. He's now begun to offer casteless greater rights and privileges in exchange for military service against the darkspawn. This certainly doesn't sit well with the noble and warrior castes, but those needing and wanting extra swords and axes to reclaim a thaig have little to complain about. Also more permits and concessions are being more freely granted to merchants both below and above the surface, seeing to a rise in trade. Again this upsets the noble castes as it means less grease for their palms. As to what more radical moves King Bhelen has in mind, the future can only tell. 'The Circle Tower' After Uldred's betrayal and the Battle of Denerim, the number of both templars and mages at the tower had been greatly culled. Though with fewer numbers, Kinloch Hold was somberly restored in the attempts to return to a regular way of life in the Circle Tower. Despite the remainder of Uldred's blood mages being disposed of at the tower (or perhaps because of it) most templars are even more vigilant at their duties. Mages who remain in the tower, still feeling the sting of betrayal from their own kind, put up with the extra scrutiny, some not even minding it. With fewer templars to spare and unable to account for the number of dead, many phylacteries of the missing currently go untouched. The Chantry now goes by word of mouth to help find their apostates until they can rebuild the number of templars in Ferelden. They do have opposition, though, in the form of the Mages Collective, which does all it can to help hide and harbor any apostates on the run. It's no coincidence that the lowering of the number of mages in the Circle Tower has seen to an increase in the number of members in the Mages Collective. 'Brecilian Forest, Korcari Wildes, and Ostagar' The declaration by King Alistair that the Dalish would be granted lands in the Korcari Wilds has brought about many changes for the woodland elves in Ferelden. Many of the clans within the Brecilian left for the Korcari, but there were those that remained. Not trusting in the shemlen king to hold to his word, the clans who preferred to keep hidden from humans did not make the journey. Now the Brecilian Forest holds the more aggressive and isolationist Dalish clans making travel into the deeper parts of the Forest more perilous than before. The clans that did make for the Korcari Wilds settled near Ostagar. As the one more familiar with the ways of the shemlen, Keeper Lanaya is often called upon to settle disputes and soothe the rough edges of their human neighbors. The Chasind tribes who have long called the Korcari Wilds their home resent the 'northland king' giving away lands that did not belong to him in the first place. Already a few brushes of hostility have been shown to their new Dalish neighbors, but many of the tribes still remain mostly docile. The darkspawn had killed many of the Chasind and even now they try to cope with the losses. How long this tentative peace will last is yet to be seen. 'Soldier's Peak' Having been forgotten for centuries, the Warden's outpost of Soldier's Peak is active again. The Hero of Ferelden apparently had cleared out what evil had maligned the place and now the Dryden family works to restore the Peak and use it as a place to store goods for their respective businesses and to serve whatever Grey Wardens that happen to venture there. 'Important Locations Outside of Ferelden' 'Kirkwall & The Free Marches' Kirkwall is a coastal city-state and a major population center located in the Free Marches. It is on the southern edge of the Vimmark Mountains, east of the Planasene Forest, and north across the Waking Sea from Ferelden. Kirkwall is governed by a Viscount since the Orlesian occupation of the city, as the title itself is Orlesian. It has never truly been free to determine its own course, and since the ousting of Perrin Threnhold the Templar Order holds considerable influence over his successor, Marlowe Dumar, and the city. Following the destruction across Ferelden during fifth Blight, many refugees fled north across the Waking Sea to Kirkwall and other Free Marches cities. One such family, the Hawkes, earned their way into the city after their home in Lothering was lost through a year of indentured service to a rather shady organization. After earning her freedom within the city, and the end of the Blight, Hawke and her family decided to remain in Kirkwall and mete out a living there. After embarking on a rather risky month-long expedition into the deep roads, Hawke has returned to Kirkwall (surprisingly) no worse for wear. 'Val Royeaux' Val Royeaux is both the capital of Orlais and home to the Chantry, with the Seat of the Divine resting at the heart of the city within the Grand Cathedral. It lies on the northern coast of the far inland tip of the Waking Sea. It is one of the largest cities of Thedas, and Orlais is one of the most influential nations. The sparkling jewel of a capital is known most for her bizarre and intricate fashion, complex social structures, political infighting, as well as their legendary bards and chevaliers. Under the watchful eye of their beloved Empress Celene, Val Royeaux has been undergoing an intellectual renaissance with an emphasis on higher education and the arts. Recent tensions between Mage Circles and the Chantry have caused much concern within the city and the resident Chantry leaders as Mages strive more and more for freedom from them and their oppressive rule. 'Minrathous' Minrathous is one of the oldest human settlements in Thedas and in the golden times of the Imperium, it was the capital of the whole known world. Ruled by the powerful Imperial Senate and dynasties of mighty Archons, the city was, for nearly a thousand years, the greatest and wealthiest city in the world. Guarded by high walls and powerful golems, called Juggernauts, protected by powerful blood mages, the city is a lasting symbol of Tevinter glory. Throughout its history, many and different armies sieged the city but none of them managed to capture it. The prophetess Andraste followed by her barbarian army, achieved big and stunning victories against the Imperium before failing to capture Minrathous. During the Second Blight, in the Divine Age, the darkspawn horde led by Zazikel also failed. Massive armies were assembled during the Exalted Marches declared by the Andrastian Chantry against the Imperium. However they all failed their goal of capturing Minrathous. During the Steel Age, the Qunari led a campaign which conquered almost the entirety of northern Thedas. However even their cannons weren't sufficient to capture Tevinter's capital. In Dragon Age, the city is now full of refugees fleeing from the never-ending war against the Qunari. Centuries of decadence have let the once great city fall more and more into decay with each passing year. The remnants of its former glory can still be seen, but are buried under the filth of ages of decay and apathy. The high towers of the Circle of Magi rise above the small homes of peasants, and clearly demonstrate who is in charge of Tevinter. 'Weisshaupt' Weisshaupt Fortress is a grand eyrie carved into the side of a jagged mountain in the southern Anderfels that serves as the headquarters for the Grey Wardens. Once a bustling hub of activity and importance, the fortress now houses just over a few hundred, with many higher-ranked Wardens rumored to be more interested in lining their pockets and politicking than carrying out their duties. However, the First Warden, head of the Grey Warden order, has grown very impatient with the Fereldan Grey Wardens due to their lack of information regarding what occurred during their so-called Blight, and seeks answers regarding the survival of the so-caled hero of Ferelden, Aedan Cousland. 'Antiva City' Antiva City, the capitol of Antiva, is home to the Antivan Crows and the plutocracy that runs it, for in Antiva, those with the most money make the rules. Antiva and her namesake capitol city possesses few resources of their own, but Antiva's location makes it an important center for trade in the north. The Antivan wine trade in particular, buoyed by its fruitful vineyards and an aggressive approach to trading practices with other nations, is one of the country's main resources, allowing for a relatively prosperous life for its citizens. Since the Blight, Antiva City has carried on in relative normalcy, though more recently high volumes of outside traffic and visitors have been seen traveling to and within the city, with rumors of numerous possible high-stakes Crow contracts being made. 'Cumberland' Cumberland is a sprawling port-city metropolis settled between the Waking Sea and the River Cumber in the southern lands of Nevarra. Holding the bulk of Nevarra's trade, as well as being the seat of the Grand Enchanter and where the College of Magi routinely convenes makes Cumberland a city of great importance. Nevarra has grown considerably from its time as a Marcher city-state under the leadership of the Pentaghast Dynasties, by whom alliances with other Free Marches states have been founded to form a powerful confederation under Pentaghast leadership. Markus Pentaghast continues the dynasty as Nevarra's current ruler. A long war against Orlais over the mineral-rich Blasted Hills, a region between the two countries ended during the Blessed Age with a Nevarran victory. However, rebellion is fomenting in the conquered area due to the imposition of harsh taxes by the Nevarrans, as well as the support of Orlais. Due to recent tensions between the organization known as the Mage's Collective and the Chantry that struggles to control them, rumors grown of a College of Magi meeting to be held soon to discuss the separation of the Mages from the Chantry once more. 'Llomerynn' Llomerryn gained prominence as the place where peace was made with the Qunari. However, today it is famous as a refuge for the immoral. Its markets are notorious and it is said that "any man can gain his heart's desire - for the right price." It is largely regarded as a “pirate town” with The Raiders of the Waking Sea and other such organizations operating out of Llomerryn. Category:WV-Specific History Category:Before You Start